Machine for making picket-fences



J. A. MINNIOKQ MACHINE FOR MAKING PIOKET FENCES. No. 351,646. Patented001;. 26, 1886.-

. avwewto'c Mg M N. PETERS, Pholo-Lifiwgmphur. Waxhingiun, n. C.

- bolts are screwed clamping-nuts H, which are UNITED STATES JAMESALONZO MINNICK, OF ELWVOOD,

MACHINE FOR lMAKl INDIANA.

NG PlCKET-FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,646, dated @ctoloer26, 1886.

Application filed September 4, 1886. Serial No. 212.7l6. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES ALONZO ll/IIN- NICK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Elwood, in the county of Madison and State ofIndiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines forMakingPicket- Fences, of which the following is a specification. Myinvention relates to an improvement in machines for making fences; andit consistsin the peculiar construction and combination of devices thatwill be morefull y set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed Ollbin the claims.

In the draivings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying my improvements,showing the same in operative position to build a wire and paling fence.Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the tension device, taken on theline at w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View of thewiretwisting device, taken on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. et is a rearelevation of the same.

A represents the tension device,which comprises the vertical bars B andO, the bolts D, connecting the same, and the drums E, journaled on thesaid bolts. The bar 0 is provided at the outer ends of the openings,through which the bolts D extend, with openings or recesses F, in whichare located rectangular blocks G, through which the headed ends of thebolts extend. On the threaded ends of the adapted to bear against theouter side of the WEB so as to clamp the bars B and Oagainst the ends ofthe drums Ewith any desired pressure.

The tension device is supported in a vertical position at one end of theproposed line of tached to stakes that are driven in the ground. At theopposite end of the'proposed line of fence is planted a vertical post,K.

Three pairs of the drums E are journaled between the bars 13 and O ofthe tension device, and to each drum is attached one end of a wire, L.The other ends of the wires are secured to the post K, and the wires arestretched between the post K and the tension device in three horizontalpairs.

M represents the wire twisting device.

Boards N and O, of suitable width, length,

and-thickness, have their inner edges secured together by means of hooksP, or other suitable devices, and between the meeting edges of theboards are made circular ters of which register with the spaces midwaybetween the pairs of drums E.

S represents twisting-disks,which are made of cast or malleable iron,and form open rings having projecting handles or arms T. The said disksare provided with annular flanges U, into which the sides of theopenings Rare fitted, and the said twisting-disks are attached to theboards M and N by closing the said'boards together,so as to cause theopposite sides of the openingsformedin their meeting edges to enteropposite sides of the annular grooves formed in the twisting-disks, andthe boards Nand O are then secured together on the twisting-disks bymeans of the hooks, as before described. On opposite sides of eachtwisting-disk are formed engaging hooks or keepers V, having openingsthrough which the wires L are passed.

W represents the vertical operating-bar, which is provided at its centerwith aprojecting handle, W, and from the inner edge of the said barproject arms Z,which have theirinner ends pivoted to the ends of thearms T oi the disks by means of suitablepivotal bolts, as shown.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the twistingdevice is free to be moved laterally on the wires L, and that the threepairs of wires are spread apart by the twisting-disks. In order to builda fence, the twisting device is first moved till within a slightdistance of the post K, and a picket, a, is then inserted verticallybetween the wires. The operator then grasps the handle of the bar W, andmoves the same so as to cause the twisting-disks to movethrough half arotation in one direction in the openings R, thereby twisting the wiresL on the outer edge of the picket. The twisting device is then movedlaterally from the picket for a suitable distance, and another picketisinserted vertically between the wires, and the twisting-disks are thencaused to move through half ,a circle in the 'reverse direction, therebytwisting the wires on the second picket, and so on until the picketshave been inserted between the wires throughout the entire line offence. The reqopenings R, the cennisite tension is maintained on thewires L by means of the clamping-bolts on which the drums E arejournnled.

Having thus deseribed my elain1- 1. Thetwisting device comprisingtheboards N and 0, having their inner edges secured together, andprovided with the openings R, made in the meeting edges of the saidboards, and the twisting-disks jonrnnled in the said openings, andhaving the books or keepers V for the wires, and the handles T, by meansof which the twisting-disks may be rotated, snh stantinlly as described.

2. The combination of the boards N and 0, having the openings R nmde intheir opposing invention, I

and secured together by the hooks inner edges,

the twisting-disks or other suitable devices, having the annular groovesto receive the inner edges of the openings R, and provided with thehooks or keepers V for the wires, and the arms T, and the her \V, havingthe arms Z Z attached to the arms T of the twisters, for the purpose setforth, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my 0w n I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES, ALONZO MINNICK.

Witnesses: L

A. B. Wnsox, .T. S. LAYNE.

